This invention relates to an improved coating for use in exterior automobile uses. More specifically, the invention relates to an improved decorative and reflective coating for use with automotive lighting applications.
Physical vapor deposition is one technique used to fix metallic compounds to a wide variety of substrates, such as automobile parts. Physical vapor deposition can be practiced by a wide variety of techniques, such as thermal evaporation or sputtering, chemical vapor deposition, ion plating, electroplating, plasma spraying, and the like. The sputtering process can be done by direct current (D.C.) sputtering, alternating current (A.C.) sputtering, radio frequency sputtering, or magnetron sputtering deposition or other suitable techniques. As known, a sputtering process is performed in a high vacuum system equipped with a target assembly and platens for holding the substrate, a tungsten tile in this invention, and preferably employs a magnetron. An inert gas, such as argon, helium, neon, krypton, or xenon, is introduced into a conventional sputtering system in the 1-10 mTorr range to provide the proper operating pressure.
It is known to provide an automobile light with a reflector. The reflector may be produced by fixing a thin layer of a metallic compound to a substrate. Metallic compounds can also be fixed to exterior surfaces of the automobile. For example, trim and other types of decorative features may employ one or more thin layers of the metallic compound to enhance the aesthetic appeal of the automobile. Current techniques for applying the thin layers of the metallic compound can produce decorative coatings which are uneven and lead to undesirable appearances. Likewise, current decorative coatings are limited in the range of colors or tints available to increasingly sophisticated consumers. When applied to automobile lights, the uneven coatings and limited tint selection may be particularly aesthetically unpleasing. It would thus be desirable to produce an improved coating for use in automobile light applications.
The above objects as well as other objects not specifically enumerated are achieved by an automobile light having a decorative coating having a reflector and a bezel connected to the reflector. The decorative coating is applied to one or both of the reflector or the bezel. The decorative coating includes a decorative layer that has a golden appearance.
According to this invention there is also provided an automobile light having a decorative coating having a reflector and a bezel connected to the reflector. The decorative coating is applied to one or both of the reflector or the bezel. The decorative coating includes a decorative layer that is a magnetron sputtered decorative layer having copper in an amount of about 90 percent.
Various objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment, when read in light of the accompanying drawings.